‘I allow them to feel beautiful again’: A local beautician is offering free pampering sessions to cancer patients.
Beautician wants to help local people after her mother's battle with breast cancer.
Paola Spiga, 38, is the owner of Glam and Glow Beauty Lab in Hockley Heath, which is offering free treatments for cancer patients in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The pamper sessions are for anyone undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy or are in remission from cancer.
Paola was inspired to start her new initiative after her mother’s five-year battle with stage two breast cancer, 22 years ago.
Memories of her mother’s cancer journey are still raw; Paola says it drives her in her mission to help others: ‘Going through her intensive treatments she would always assume she couldn’t be pampered.
‘There is a common myth that beauty treatments are unsafe for those with cancer. It's not true.’
Specialist beauty treatments will be offered at Glam and Glow Beauty Lab such as facials, hair treatments, manicures and pedicures alongside eyelash and eyebrow care.
On the topic of treatments Paola said: ‘It’s crucial to use brands and techniques that are specifically suited for people undergoing cancer treatment.
‘You are left with very dry skin which can be itchy and sore and a hypersensitivity to smell, so we use specialist products that are fragrance-free.’
The free beauty treatments aim to provide patients with a new-found confidence both physically and emotionally.
Paola said she wants to provide cancer patients with a safe space as soon as they come through the salon doors: ‘It’s so important that they feel comfortable with me, from the moment they arrive.
‘I know reaching out for help is not easy and if a client opens to me about their problems, I'm grateful for that. I want this to be a safe space.’
For those who have received treatments so far, Paola says she can see how important the pamper sessions are for those undergoing chemotherapy: ‘One client is going to start the chemotherapy on Thursday.
‘She is very scared because there is an unknown of what you're going through and what you must expect from this journey.
‘Each week we're just going to put some polish on her nails to cheer her up when she feels down.’
This is the first time Paola has rolled out her new pampering initiative, which she hopes to continue in the future: ‘My long-term plans include not only expanding our service offerings but also giving back to the community in meaningful ways.
‘One of my goals is to offer more services to hospitals for cancer patients, providing treatments that can help them feel more comfortable and confident during such a challenging time.’